Moonlight Lady
by pizzaandfries
Summary: A multi-chapter Regency Romance featuring Marinette and Adrien. Truthfully, a superhero regency romance seems pretty cool so I decided to try to write it.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I- Adrien

Guests had started to arrive half an hour ago but Father hadn't ordered him down yet. Adrien appreciated this small relief. He sighed, rubbing his signet ring. He'd wanted to go out tonight, to meet her in the moonlight. Lady Luck was out there somewhere, solving crime in the darkness. He should be out there with her, but instead, his father was throwing a ball.

It was a nice thought but Nathalie didn't really need the added stress (being chaplain for his father was bad enough) and Adrien wasn't going to pick a bride from the young ladies who'd be offered to him over and over again. He wanted her. Ladybug. His partner, his equal. No other woman would do.

Chat Noir, as the ton had taken to calling his alter ego, was her perfect match, so they'd said. Of course, the ton thought they were married. If only they knew that he was a bachelor, the heir to the dukedom. Adrien had kept his identity a secret to protect both his father's and Ladybug's reputations. He didn't give a damn about his own. If it was made public, Adrien thought with disgust, there would be a sudden rise in rumors of Chat Noir's appearances crawling out of bedroom windows.

Truly, what matchmaking mamas did to ensnare and capture a wealthy man for their children was disgusting. Forcing one to wed someone to keep their honor. Ridiculous.

If their daughter appealed to the man enough to have a happy marriage, he shouldn't have to be conned into it in the first place. Fortunately enough for Adrien, his cat-like reflexes and ability to escape danger had kept him from being trapped in this way. He would wait for her. He could, and he would.

Adrien sipped his tea. He could almost imagine her running in the night, her long inky hair blowing lines across her papery skin. She'd laugh at him, toss her hair over her shoulder, and fly across the night. He could smell her. Oranges and fresh bread. Her lips were perfectly plump and soft, and they were meant to be kissed. Worshiped. His lady deserved to be treated like the goddess she was. No other woman he had ever known would risk her reputation and her life for anyone who needed help. His merciful lady. He couldn't settle for less than her. He wouldn't.

A sudden racket came from the door and a black blur flew in circles around his head.

"Adrien, your father's coming up to fetch you! Remember to save me some cheese!"

Plagg zoomed by, his words shooting out as he slipped into Adrien's partially open wardrobe.

Adrien stood, closing his eyes, trying to brace himself for the mass of people that awaited him. Polite, meaningless conversation, endless dancing and the tiresome young virgins who batted their eyelashes in hopes of snaring the dukedom. He looked down at his clothing, making sure he wasn't wearing too much black. He straightened his cravat. There was a knock at the door and he opened it.

Father nodded, approving of the outfit. His own attire seemed rather foppish, with its perfectly coordinated cravat, vest and coat, but, the Duke of Farnsington could do as he pleased.

"Most of the important guests are here, Adrien, so it's past time you made an appearance. Oh, and the Bourgeois chit was asking for you. Quite forward of her, don't you think? Her dowry is so large that her forwardness won't matter so much, eh, son?"

Adrien inwardly groaned. Chloe. Of all the chits who'd rabidly pursued him, she was the absolute worst. If there was anyone who could be as shallow as his lady was kind hearted, it would be that evil, rotten wench.

Father must have noticed his slight grimace.

"Ah, well, I'll find a distraction for her. Just come down soon, alright?"

"Yes, Father."

At least Nino would be down there. He'd make this bearable. He enjoyed the spotlight and being the life of the party, and he knew how to do it well. Nino would save Adrien from as many unfortunate encounters as humanly possible while still being the most despicable rake of the ton. Everyone loved Nino, men, women, girls. He was scandal, passion, and romance while Adrien was boring, quiet, and detachment. The older women had dubbed them The Sun and Moon on account of it.

Adrien glanced back at his darkened window and wished that his Lady had a wonderful night. She deserved it.

He closed the door to his safe haven- that magical place where Chat Noir met a boring young man, and flung himself into the whirling cacophony of the party.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II- Marinette

The moon had risen by the time they'd arrived at Brambledown manor. The ball was already well under way and there were so many men and women around that Marinette could hardly breathe. Alya, on the other hand was in her element.

"Do you see what Lady Chloe is wearing, Mari? Her bosom looks like its about to pop out of her dress! If she's after Lord Agreste, like my sources all say, she really should be a bit more modest, don't you think? She really doesn't have a chance in an outfit like that. She won't get the right kind of looks from him. From Lord Lahiffe, maybe, but not Agreste. That's good for us, though. We really don't need her mucking up your chances."

Marinette felt her face get hot, and prayed that she wasn't as red as she felt. That would be so embarrassing! What was Alya thinking, speaking of that matter in public! Alya began to giggle.

"It's alright, Marinette. Nobody's listening to us, and besides, if Adrien hears that you're thinking about him, it might spark his interest. Now, we just need to make sure that you get at least one dance with him tonight. I'll see if I can't pull some strings and get his name on your dance card. Why don't you get some punch? I've heard it's sublime."

With that, Alya melted into the crowd. Marinette tried to press through the crowd and follow her, but the crowd wouldn't part for her, and her friend was lost to the vast ocean of human beings. She sighed, and looked for somewhere to just sit down. There, in the corner, she could watch the other dancers and come up with ideas for her new dresses.

The creation she was wearing today was a marine blue that matched her eyes and it draped perfectly to fit her lithe frame. She'd stolen concepts from various styles for it and it was very comfortable. She'd beaded the top with little silvery pearls, so it wouldn't be completely plain but wasn't overly flashy either. It was probably the best item she had ever made.

Unfortunately, wearing beautiful clothing did not make one beautiful, and it certainly did not improve one's confidence enough to give Marinette the courage to roam the ball like dear Alya.

There was a rainbow of colors out on the floor, but there was an overwhelming amount of pink this season, which Marinette owned very few gowns in. She supposed she'd ask to go shopping soon and scrounge through the fabric stores for something of higher quality and was easily workable. Yes, tomorrow she'd ask. Her father wouldn't mind. He knew about her secret hobby, and he was quite proud of her. She'd start with a simple day dress, maybe add some cream lace to it at the bottom. Cream worked wonderfully with pink.

"Excuse me, Lady Marinette, but may I have this dance?"

Marinette began to blush again. "Yes, of course, Lord Kurtzburg."

Kurtzburg was a very handsome man, and his talents as an artist had made him extremely popular amongst the ton. Ladies everywhere were begging for portraits and trying to catch his eye. Marinette was going to be the center of attention after this, but she could hardly say no! A waltz began, and Marinette attempted to concentrate on the steps. 1-2-3-1-2-3-1-2-3. She looked up at Kurtzburg, whose smile reminded her of a certain kitty she knew. A smile of half arrogance, half boyish charm. He really was a handsome man, but he wasn't Adrien. It really was quite a shame she couldn't love this bright young man.

"Lady Marinette, I was wondering if you could sit for a portrait or two. You have the most remarkable eyes, and I'd love to try to capture them. It would be free of charge, of course, and I'd have to ask your father, but I wanted to see if you would like that before I asked him."

Lord Nathan pinked slightly, his ears turning red behind his ginger hair. He seemed rather nervous. A portrait! The ton would explode if word got out he'd offered to paint one for free! Marinette didn't know what to say. She'd love a portrait, but what if he took it as something more? What if he thought that she was interested in him? She couldn't do that to the poor man and refuse to marry him! Alya appeared, smiling at her before she was whisked away into the dance. Alya would accept the offer, and damn the consequences. For heaven's sake, Ladybug was the subject of dozens of paintings! She could do this, it would be fine.

"I'd love to."

Lord Nathan grinned, then bowed and kissed her hand. The waltz had ended. Just as quickly as he had appeared, the sea of people swallowed him again.

Marinette scanned the room for Adrien, Alya, or even her father. She wasn't a lady who could stand on her own in this sort of event. She needed the comfort of company. The crowd pressed on her. Smells mixed together, a noxious perfume which made her dizzy. Colors began to blur. She needed to get out.

There! A door to the outside, if she could only get to it! If she was Ladybug, she'd be there in a second, but Marinette couldn't transform in front of all these people. She fought through the crowd. She would not faint at Adrian's ball. She would not embarrass herself in front of Adrian. She would not. Breathing heavily, she made it to the door.

It was very dark in the courtyard, but it was quiet. Marinette felt much better.

It was so peaceful out here. The moonlight reflected onto a glassy pond, and she could almost imagine Adrien staring out over the water at night. This was lovely.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3 A Chance Encounter

She was out there. He just knew she'd be there waiting for him. They'd go on their nightly patrol, strolling the rooftops of London. He itched to be out there, to be with her. To catch her scent, to see her long, silky black hair escape from its high bun, to hear her sweet bubbling laugh. He'd been outside, looking over his garden in silence for quite a while now. Solitude, a welcome change from the stinking crush he'd relieved himself from.

Nobody would have noticed his departure, especially after Nino had realized that a distraction was needed. Adrien grinned to himself in the dark. Likely, that Alya girl was creating quite a stir inside. She was at the height of her second season, but the ton had little taste for women who spoke loudly and often, so she'd had no serious suitors of any importance. Most gentlemen prefered the shrinking violets, the beauties without a tongue or a mind. He almost felt sorry for her. To be asked by a staple of society like Nino was to be pulled into the spotlight, where every small personal blessing was amplified, made stunning, a symbol of perfection, and every flaw became a hideous blemish on the face of one's character. It turned girls into the dual faced matrons and women that controlled society as surely as if they were the puppet masters of parliament.

Adrien played with his glass, the bright moonlight reflecting off of it as if it were dancing in the night. Adrien did love to dance. It was a shame, really, that all of the dances meant something more than the casual intimacy it once had been, before he had known love.

If only he could dance with her.

But, he couldn't and that was that. She'd expressed disinterest in him as a suitor, and he should accept it. He repeated it to himself again and again. Still, the feel of her slender curves under his hands as they swayed to a waltz seemed so real to him, as if he were in some sort of dream and in a waking world she was his to keep, to have and to hold, forever. He knew her body as surely as any lover could ever know after all of those battles.

Adrien reached out, as if to grab hold of the lady of his imagination and keep her here, in the moonlight.

The door opened. He froze, praying that whoever it was would slip back into the party immediately without discovering him in the darkness. A woman slowly walked to the railing and clung to it as if it gave her life. She gazed out at the darkness, as if yearning for something that would only be found out there, in the great beyond. The woman's hair was done like his lady's, and her stature and figure were almost identical. She even smelled of citrus! It had to be her, after all this time, he'd meet his lady love, the woman he'd lived for. He reached out to grab her arm.

It wasn't her. The feeling was off. This woman's arm was too soft to be his lady's, and she would never bare her arms to the public, for it would only reveal her masculine (but attractive!) strength.

"Lord Agreste?"

Adrien released her arm.

"My apologies. I thought you were someone else."

She just stared up at him, her wide blue eyes betraying extreme shock. She appeared to be frozen. As far as Adrien could tell in the moonlight, she was turning a very bright red. He'd seen this girl before, been introduced, but he couldn't remember her name, or even her rank. It was her first season, and she had been a wallflower in the extreme. At the time, he'd wondered why. Now, it all made sense. She was on the fast track to spinsterdom, poor chit.

"Shall I escort you back inside, Miss?"

He might as well, considering she'd interrupted his fantasy. It was high time he returned. Nino shouldn't be pressed into distracting the ton for too long. He might accidentally cause some matrons to faint from his lack of propriety again, and Adrien's father would not be pleased should that happen.

The girl, Marinette, he recalled her name now, after that awkward conversation was over, walked stiffly, as if she could not bend her knees. She quivered with every step. Was she going to be alright? Where was her chaperone?

The party was in full swing when they reached the door.

"Will you be alright from here, Lady Marinette? I must attend upon my father for a little while. Go enjoy some punch, it's quite delicious."

With a small nod, never reaching his eyes, she scurried off to the punch bowl, nearly colliding with quite a few couples twirling on the floor.

She was funny to watch, he'd give her that.

Mothers began to surround him, pushing their daughters in front of him like pieces of meat at a market. He was circled, trapped by them. They were swarming. He'd met more Violets, more Catherines, and more Annes then he could possibly remember.

He pretend to notice them, to give them special individual attention. Soon, the night would be over. He'd see his lady.

He could survive this ordeal, if only to see her again.


End file.
